Obongi, Uganda – The Minister of State for Defence in charge of Veterans, Hon. Dr. Oleru Hudu, has officially commissioned an over 300 million shillings commercial agricultural project initiated by veterans and ex-combatants in Obongi District.
The commissioning ceremony took place on Monday evening in Obugubu village, Liwa Parish in Gimara Sub-county, Obongi District, where the veterans have harvested 20 acres of maize and are currently harvesting 30 acres of rice.
The veterans were mobilized by the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Obongi, Mr. Samuel Mpimbaza Hashaka, to start the commercial agricultural project.
The Veterans Minister thanked the RDC of Obongi for organizing the veterans who have utilized their retirement packages and PDM (presumably referring to the Parish Development Model) to organize the most successful veterans’ project in West Nile.
Hon. Dr. Oleru Hudu pledged to give the veterans 500 million shillings under the Food and Feed program in her Ministry. She directed the RDC of Obongi, Mr. Samuel Mpimbaza Hashaka, and the Woman MP for Obongi, Hon. Maneno Zumura, to visit her office between the 1st and 2nd week of January this year to make arrangements for the veterans to benefit from the Food and Feed program.
She promised to hold a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture, together with the RDC and Woman MP, to ensure the Obongi veterans are given necessary assistance.
The Minister directed that the Production Officer should conduct a scientific study of the soils where the veterans are carrying out the commercial agricultural project so that they are guided on the most suitable crops to concentrate on.
Some of the veterans complained about the impassable road to the farm, lack of tractors, and lack of machines for value addition of the maize and rice being grown.
